Release Notes for Shadowbane v1.0.0, which was launched on March 12th, 2003.
- You can now get feedback regarding population levels for servers when creating new characters.
- Fixed quite a few crashes for both Mac and PC Clients.
- Reduced the number of trees and other objects in zones that were suddenly overflowing with them due to a recent fix in the terrain object placement system.
- Fixed a few issues that would cause you to respawn at the ruins when you're supposed to go to your tree and vice versa.
- Fixed a bug that would make picking up "decal iconified" items hard to pick up (for example, gold or runestones).
- All player placed buildings should have proper "construction" phases and automatic upgrade timers.
- Fixed a bug that could allow guilds with the same name to be created.
- The login server should now be properly checking to make sure a proposed name isn't already in use.
- You should no longer see a particle effect trigger on your current target when summoning a pet.
- The patch client will now give a proper error if you run out of disk while patching.
- Fixed a bug where the recorder would "crash" during playback but leave you in the playback world without exiting.
- Fixed a number of zone issues regarding building and NPC placement.
- Fixed lots of issues where NPC's and Mobs weren't wearing/using the correct equipment (or had equipment missing).
- Reduced the amount of furniture in lots of buildings.
- Mage Assassins have a new set of armor unique to this class combo.
- You should no longer lose your hotkey preferences after changing your video settings.
- Flyers should now get properly ejected from a building if they run out of stamina or try to land on a building that doesn't have a platform to allow normal landing.
- Fixed a number of issues regarding mob dropping the wrong equipment.
- Fixed a few graphical issues with hairs and beards that were clipping through the characters head.
- Level 1 hirelings will now insist on getting paid.
- There is now a proper Crusader Trainer in Silverlance.
- Hireling Buy margins should now be getting properly saved.
- Fixed a number of bad power icons.
- Guards should no longer AoE each other.
- Fixed a number of item sounds that didn't fall off fast enough.
- Powers that could get negative costs values (due to curves) have been fixed.
- Fixed charm powers that didn't have recast timers set on them.
- You should now be ejected from a safehold's guild when you reach the max level for that safehold (level 20 for the hamlet safeholds, 35 for the others).
- You can no longer destroy the "Respawn" dialog box.
- You can now get to the character creation screen without having selected a starting world.
- Buildings under construction are now less resistant to certain forms of attack.
- Fixed a number of interiors that had far too many light sources.
- Creation costs for runes will now be refunded if you apply an upgrade to that rune.
- Attack will now be calculated using the greater of Strength or Dexterity, instead of just Dexterity.
- Safemode should now break on movement.
- When upgrading runes gotten in-game the cost of the old rune will now be refunded.
- NPC#Artillery Captains are now invulnerable and will no longer fight.
- Weapon Mastery talent runes now have a level requirement of 20.
- Fixed a bug with Blademaster stamina costs.
- Weapons that use Focus skills for Mastery (elemental weapons) no longer have elemental damage types
- Weapons that use Focus skills for Mastery (elemental weapons) now use the correct stats for damage (i.e. Shadow Daggers are now DEX based)
- Throwing daggers now use DEX for damage.
- Artillery Captains should no longer have too many Siege Engine production slots (they should have 3).
- Fixed various mouse-over bugs on Race rune effects.
- Effects mouse-over for DoTs no longer displays damage (it was always showing 0 damage anyway).
- 'Blessed Zeal' should now have the correct skill pre-req.
- Fixed a bug where the Diseased effect could take stamina recovery below 0.
- Fury's 'Batthe Curse' is now area of effect (as was intended).
- Fixed a bug that was causing passive defense skills (block, parry, dodge) not to happen often enough, or to happen too often.
- Rogue and Fighter based trainers can now teach Bow and Crossbow skills.
- Wizard's 'Chant of Confusion' is now area of effect (as was intended).
- 'Call Lightning' has been fixed (it almost always said 'No Valid targets').
- Blood Prophet's 'River of Life' description has been clarified.
- 'Whirlwind Attack' should now be working.
- Discipline trainers should now have dialog text.
- Safehold vendors will now auto-junk non-magic items instantly, and magic items after a time so that their inventories do not get too crowded.
- Irekei should now be getting their correct fire resistance.
- Fixed a bug in the max skill formula that made the order in which a skill was trained versus when attribute points were applied affect the max skill.
- Fixed a bug that was causing blade trails not to appear for certain weapons.
- All item enchantment type powers should now work without having to identify the item.
- Barracks are now the only buildings into which Guard Captains can be slotted.
- Fixed a bug that was causing Pets to Dodge too often.
- ItemDrop sounds should now be working on all weapons.
- Fixed a bug where terrain preferences changed in the settings HUDs weren't getting saved.
- When a mob dies, any equipment that is dropped by them will be damaged.
- Players will now get messages about mobs aggroing or calling for help.
- It should be easier to hit moving mobs or players with melee weapons now.
- Fixed an exploit allowing players to get around the deathshroud and item loss on death.
- If the power fails because of a client/server synch problem, the cost of the power will be reimbursed to the caster.
- If a mob finds no "helpers" nearby, it will now look for them at it's home location too.
- The font color for magic items in hireling inventories should be a bit easier to read.
- Fixed a few issues that could allow spell effects to stick around long after the effect has ended.
- The Repledge window will now close if you move away from the Runemaster.
- Siege Engines should no longer block, parry or dodge.
- The recorder will now stop if you leave the world.
- Mobs will not continue looking for new targets to get mad at if they are already upset with someone (this should help with BaF'ing mobs bringing extra friends when they happen to run near an uninvolved party).
- Fixed a problem where names in channel messages had an @World tag when they weren't supposed to.
- Pets will now dismiss / break charm if the master goes invisible / hides.
- Unarmed bonus to damage now working for Irekei and users of the Brawler Trait.
- Pets that are too far away from their master will be dismissed / break charm.
- It should now be a bit easier to loot giant sized mobs.
- Combat closing is now defaulted to off. When you attack, you will continue to follow until you begin to cast a power, move somewhere else, or sit down.
- Increased the effect of focus skill on spell ATR.
- Weapon using mobiles should now deal damage on par with unarmed mobiles.
- Tweaked recycle timers on spells; most spells no longer have any recycle time.
- The Value of magic items has been reduced.
- When calculating ATR characters now get a bonus for STR or DEX whichever is higher (this used to be just DEX).
- Stat runes (found after character creation) have been improved.
- Templars now get Offensive Stance at GM.
- Benediction and Warding based powers now have focus skill pre-reqs.
- Made a balance pass on all damage spells for consistency - drains were slightly nerfed, DoTs were improved.
- Made a balance pass on damage spell costs - they should rank efficiently now.
- BaF has been toned down (especially at lower levels).
- Rogues and Fighters now get a little more Stamina.
- Backstab now has a Sneak pre-req (before Mage-Assassins could get Backstab before they had Sneak).
- Increased duration on damage absorber spells.
- 'Normal Stance' now casts instantly and will cancel any other Stance.
- Spell using mobiles now have less health.
- Reduced chance that magic items will drop on mobiles.
- Improved talent runes that grant additional Health / Mana / Stamina and recovery bonus.
- Healing walls should now be more expensive.
- Tweaked deed costs, upgrade costs, and maintenance fees.
- Items will now take more permanent damage when repaired.
- All damage and stun spells should now require a to-hit check.
- Spell interruption has been removed from all but a handful of spells (teleport, recall, summon, etc.).
- New (rare) vendors deeds should be dropping as treasure now.
- Bedrolls have been pulled until they can be fixed (they should not be usable in city zones).
- Reduced cost on Weapon Mastery runes.
- Barbarians now get Axe Mastery.
- Warriors now get Spear Mastery.
- Tweaked rank at which most classes are awarded stances (this meant a boost for most classes).
- Re-balanced Damage buffs for most classes (Templars got a boost).
- The Berserker discipline has been removed (it was not meant to drop).
- Barbarians can no longer gain the Archer discipline.
- Bards can now gain the Blade Master discipline.
- Summoners can now get all their pets again.
- Increased duration on 'Power Block' weapon powers.
- Vendors should now roll better magic items.
- Win98/Me users may want to turn off the software cursor if they are experiencing problems with the cursor blinking or "smears" textures. You can do this either in the Settings HUD or by editing the ArcanePref.cfg file directly.
- Graphical errors can occur when Shadowbane is run at the same time as other applications that are set to execute 'always on top.'
- Scrolls are always destroyed, even when the spell fails to go off.
- You can drop a Bane Circle on a dead TOL or an ancient city zone that has no TOL, though it has no effect.
- We are still working on intermittent client crashes around certain zones. If you are getting these intermittent crashes you may want to try using the command /meshcache none.
- You will sometimes get pink overlays on HUDs and text using ATI 9700 cards.
- To maximize frame rate, set dynamic lighting to low (DYNAMICLIGHTING= 0), and turn off all shadows.
